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Did you know?

A tick bite can leave you allergic to steak

Ticks carry a sugar called alpha-gal in their saliva. Almost every mammal has it in its meat, but humans, great apes and Old World monkeys do not, so a bite can teach the immune system to treat it as foreign. Reactions to beef, lamb, pork or kangaroo usually start 4–6 hours after the meal, which is why the link is easy to miss. Gelatin in some capsules can trigger it too. Australian allergists were the first to describe it.

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Quiz

A 30-year-old had anaphylaxis after a bee sting. Twenty minutes after one dose of IM adrenaline she feels fine and asks to walk to the toilet. What do you advise?

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A teenager with asthma and peanut allergy suddenly wheezes and becomes hoarse after eating a biscuit. There is no rash. What comes first?

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What role do antihistamines play in treating anaphylaxis?

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Painful urticarial-looking lesions persist beyond 48 hours and leave discolouration. Which alternative deserves consideration?

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Did you know?

Two research paths met at IgE

One team purified the factor that transferred skin sensitivity; another studied an unclassifiable myeloma antibody. When they exchanged reagents in 1967, the two proteins proved to share the same antibody-class markers.

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A worm protein can resemble dust mite

IgE generated against tropomyosin from the roundworm Ascaris can recognise related proteins in dust mites or cockroaches. Cross-reactivity can connect immune responses to organisms that seem completely unrelated.

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ASCIA: Action Plan for FPIES
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ASCIA: Action Plans FAQs
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The experiment that transferred allergy

In 1921, Prausnitz injected serum from fish-allergic Küstner into his own skin and transferred local fish sensitivity. The experiment showed that a blood-borne factor could carry allergic sensitivity decades before IgE was identified.

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Why does synthetic rubber not trigger allergy to natural rubber latex proteins?

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ASCIA: Latex Allergy
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A myeloma protein unlocked allergy tests

An unusual myeloma protein helped researchers characterise IgE. Its abundance supplied enough purified material for structural studies and for developing blood assays that measured IgE and allergen-specific antibodies.

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A well child has uncomplicated acute urticaria. What is the usual approach to routine allergy testing?

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Recurrent angioedema occurs without urticarial wheals. Which diagnosis should be considered?

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IgE nearly wore the wrong name

Early purification experiments suggested that the skin-sensitising allergy factor might be IgA. Further separation and testing disproved that idea: the activity belonged to a different antibody class, later called IgE.

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Mast cells can fight venom—in mice

Animal experiments suggest a protective side to mast cells: their enzymes can inactivate venom components. Mouse studies support the idea that IgE-related responses can sometimes defend against venom rather than only cause harm.

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Antibodies can block allergic sensitivity

Before IgE was identified, researchers found that desensitisation increased other serum antibodies that could block transferred skin sensitivity. The idea of protective blocking antibodies predates the discovery of the allergy antibody itself.

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ASCIA: Latex Allergy
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IgE lasts longer when it finds a seat

Free IgE is short-lived in plasma, but IgE attached to mast-cell receptors can persist in tissues for weeks or months. Its location changes how long the allergic signal can remain.

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How is venom immunotherapy administered?

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ASCIA: Venom Immunotherapy
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Is lactose-free infant formula a suitable substitute for a baby with cow's milk allergy?

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For uncomplicated acute urticaria in a child, which medicine is preferred to relieve itching?

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Which skin-care advice does ASCIA recommend for eczema?

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ASCIA: Eczema and Food Allergy
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Which laboratory marker does ASCIA identify as the most accessible and validated for assessing suspected MCAS in Australia?

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Severe allergic rhinitis remains inadequately controlled. Which specialist treatment should be considered?

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IgE is scarce but powerful

IgE is the least abundant antibody class in plasma. Its very low concentration helped make it difficult to identify, despite its outsized role in immediate allergic reactions.

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An infant repeatedly vomits a few hours after a trigger food, then becomes pale and lethargic. Which diagnosis fits?

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ASCIA: Action Plan for FPIES
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ASCIA: Eosinophilic Oesophagitis
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An adult reports a mild delayed penicillin rash in childhood, over 10 years ago. What may be appropriate after risk assessment?

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An organ can carry allergic sensitivity

Peanut reactions have occurred in organ recipients because donor IgE remained attached to mast cells within the transplanted organ. Allergic sensitivity can therefore travel with tissue, not just circulating blood.

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ASCIA: Venom Immunotherapy
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Which treatment is recommended first line for allergic rhinitis?

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A food allergy test is positive. What else is essential before diagnosing food allergy?

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ASCIA: Food Allergy Testing
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The allergy blood test arrived fast

The first published RAST report appeared in 1967 and tested antibodies against more than twenty allergens. That was before the new antibody class received its official IgE name in 1968.

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An adolescent has dysphagia and recurrent food impaction. Which allergic disorder should be considered?

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ASCIA: Eosinophilic Oesophagitis
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A patient has a confirmed food allergy and has been prescribed an adrenaline device. Which ASCIA plan applies?

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ASCIA: Action Plans FAQs
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A child develops hives while taking an antibiotic for an infection. What is the best interpretation?

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ASCIA: Eczema and Food Allergy
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A child develops isolated hives during a viral illness. Which statement is most accurate?

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ScrollMed summaries, written in our own words from eTG, ASCIA, the Australian Asthma Handbook and other trusted Australian guidelines, plus "Did you know?" facts from journals and official bodies. Tap the source on any post to read the original. Always check the current guideline and local protocols before clinical use.